Walking in Grace, Stepping Out in Faith

Die 5-Dying to Eat

When Scott asked permission for my hand in marriage from my father, the only advise my father gave him was this:

“Don’t stand between her and food or her and sleep and you will be just fine.”

Yes, it’s true. I am a lot more pleasant to be around when I have food in my stomach and I definitely need my sleep or you will typically find yourself wrestling with an angry bear. However, as a child of God I do not get to lash out and behave in an ungodly manner just because I have not eaten or slept enough hours. Jesus Christ sets the example of Dying to Eat when Satan meets Him in the wilderness after Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. After He had fasted 40 days and 40 night, He was hungry.” Matthew 4:1-2

“Then Jesus returned from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, He was hungry.” Luke 4:1-2

God’s word could have just said Jesus fasted for 40 days and then He was tempted. However, He chose to include three little words, He was hungryin both gospel accounts. I don’t think it was by mistake, but intentional in making sure we understood, Jesus really was physically hungry. Even though He was fully God, Christ was fully Man while walking on the earth. Satan seizes his opportunity.

“Then the tempter approached Him and said, ‘If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ But He answered, ‘It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:3-4

Isn’t it just like Satan? He despises our time alone with God because God speaks to our souls and ministers in ways beyond anything Satan could even hope to provide. So what does Satan do? He goes for the gut. Just as Satan used the fruit to tempt Eve, Satan immediately tempts Jesus through His stomach. Jesus however, does not succumb to Satan’s lure. Instead, He responds to Satan with the word of God. Having spent 40 days with God alone in the wilderness, Jesus was able to continue to be sustained by His Father even in the midst of great temptation. Withstanding the temptation of passing up food when He was hungry would later allow Christ to do it over and over as He forsake physical sustenance in order to do His Father’s will.

“The disciples said to one another, ‘Could someone have brought Him something to eat?’ ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work’ Jesus told them.” John 4:33-34

Jesus died to food so that He could do the will of His Father as well as set an example for the disciples and for us to follow when He calls us to do the same.